14-Year-Old Discovers iPad Smart Cover Magnets Can Shut Off Implanted Defibrillators

[paul4339]

Magnets and internal defibs don't mix, it isn't new... doctors warn patients about this.

More newsworthy, is the likely situation that a person can accidently fall asleep with one his/her chest... leaving the person unprotected should an arrhythmia occur during their entire sleep.

I think the experiment would have been more scientifically interesting if the student compared it to other devices without built-in cover magnets... The apparatus may have been common devices, e.g. iPad, iPod, Asus tablet (no smart cover magnets), and Kindle.

If the results were say, something like, 30%, 0%,0%,0% respectively, then her results can likely be associated with the built in magnets.

Since it's not obvious the iPad has magnets (and a significant greater % of causing defib failure), doctors can then make note to remind patients of this specific higher probability and common situation (falling asleep with an iPad).

.

 

[michaelbowser]

'Just don't hold it that way'

 

[Lancer]

So now the iPad will kill you!

I wonder do other tablets and smart phones use magnets, what about the MS Surface?

 

[doctor-don]

Before more idiotic posts are made, maybe people should know that Gianna Chien won 3rd place in the Chemistry & Health Sciences division of the Sacramento Regional Science & Engineering Fair, and she also has a well-written essay relating to bullying, something people on here attempt to do on a regular basis. This was last year when the Stockton Symphony sponsored an essay contest. Gianna was in middle school at the time, and she won that division. I don't know her, but she seems that her head is screwed on right.

 

[BvizioN]

Just because he's smarter than you doesn't mean you should start accusing people now.

Oh wait. Anything "bad" said about Apple means sneaky no good Samsung is behind it.

Bad Samsung. Bad!

Don't blame the guy for that.
Blame Samsung who has been proven to do such stuff.

 

[Renzatic]

Don't blame the guy for that.
Blame Samsung who has been proven to do such stuff.

You know how I know I'm on an Apple fan site?

Cuz you can't go three posts around here without someone mentioning Samsung.

 

[Bhatu]

Oh an iPad...

 

[SeattleMoose]

Slow News Day?

Hello, anything with an electromagnetic field can potentially interfere with a device sensitive to (drum roll....) .... electromagnetic fields.

 

[sessamoid]

Quoted directly from iPad User Guide

Medical devices iPad contains radios that emit electromagnetic fields. These electromagnetic fields may interfere with pacemakers or other medical devices. If you wear a pacemaker, maintain at least 6 inches (approximately 15 cm) of separation between your pacemaker and iPad. If you suspect iPad is interfering with your pacemaker or any other medical device, stop using iPad and consult your physician for information specific to your medical device. iPad has magnets along the left edge of the device and on the right side of the front glass, which may interfere with pacemakers, defibrillators, or other medical devices. The iPad Smart Cover and iPad Smart Case also contain magnets. Maintain at least 6 inches (approximately 15 cm) of separation between your pacemaker or defibrillator and iPad, the iPad Smart Cover, or the iPad Smart Case.

Yeah, amazing "discovery".

 

[nikaru]

Well then, Apple will just have to include a defibrillator in the iPad 5.

There is an app for that...

 

[shoulin333]

Wow, I am surprised all these pages of comments and not a single bashing Stockton yet.

 

[tCdemon]

Duh!...Said ppl with pacemakers!

This reminds of that South Park episode where Kyle becomes the Humancentipad....All bc he didn't read the Apple's Disclosure!

I call dibs on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod speaker magnets!

 

[sulpfiction]

So how did this 14-year old "discover" this if it's written in Apple's safety documentation?

And her father is a doctor who most likely gave her the idea for the science project...And he got the idea from apples safety documentation. Haha.

 

[iMikeT]

Clear!

 

[flameproof]

So how did this 14-year old "discover" this if it's written in Apple's safety documentation?

It shows that nobody was reading them before. Did you? Nope....

 

[nia820]

 

[Laucian Nailor]

Sort of lost it for me as soon as I saw 'Bloomberg'. Following so close to the Pegatron 'misrepresentation' it just feels as if they have a bit of an Apple agenda going on. Guess they didn't get free tickets to cover WWDC or that important access to Apple Exec's they feel entitled too.

Best of luck to the girl with her project, I'm not convinced it isn't being used for some alternative purpose!

 

[mrsir2009]

Funny how when any magnets can interfere with defibrillators people choose to write an article specifically about the magnets in the iPad Smart Cover...

 

[Renzatic]

Best of luck to the girl with her project, I'm not convinced it isn't being used for some alternative purpose!

Like what? A smear campaign?

 

[dreadnort]

implanted defibrillators and Pacemakers are not the same the article is regarding implanted defibrillators not pacemakers

 

[mgreernz]

Discovery?

I'm not at all sure how this ranks as a "discovery" worthy of presentation to 8,000 medical practitioners. I've had a pacemaker for the past few years (a model manufactured in the US) - and even the most cursory glance at the information provided by the manufacturer and given to me at the time, clearly indicates that anything with a magnetic field needs to be avoided when at close quarters. Pardon my cynicism, but this seems to be another example of some two-bit journalist not bothering to do their homework.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

That didnt know they had a pacemaker? LOL! It`s like saying diabetic people not knowing what they are eating.

Analogy fail.

No, this is more like the diabetic not realising that the food they were eating was loaded with sugar...an even closer one would be a person with a severe allergy not knowing that the food they were eating contained an allergen.

No matter which way the fanboys here try to spin this, are they trying to claim that educating people on this issue can be a bad thing? In my opinion if it stops one person from doing something stupid which seriously risks their health, why not?

 

[gnasher729]

Hello, anything with an electromagnetic field can potentially interfere with a device sensitive to (drum roll....) .... electromagnetic fields.

You got it completely wrong. It doesn't interfere. There is no unintentional interference with a sensitive device. It is an intentional feature that a defibrillator can be turned off by holding magnets to the right place of the owner's body. That means it can be turned off without cutting the owner's body open which is surely a good thing. Turns out that an iPad smart cover has magnets that are strong enough to perform this intended function.

Any owner of a defibrillator would know about this feature and would know not to keep magnets close to their body.

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Science fair judges: FAIL

There's still a difference between a warning message in the iPad user manual that something _might_ happen, and a demonstration that it _does_ indeed happen.

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This seems an awful lot like those "iPods cause hearing loss" news stories when actually, its all headphones that can cause hearing loss.

"Suicides threats at iPhone factory" when workers at Foxconn feared to lose their jobs because of dropping Microsoft Xbox production.

 

[SlCKB0Y]

So how did this 14-year old "discover" this if it's written in Apple's safety documentation?

Yet iOS devices are claimed to be so easy to use that people do not need to read the documentation?

 

[gnasher729]

I would bet that if you went out into the street and asked random people if the iPad had magnets in it - most would say they had no idea or no. It's not that big of an assumption to make. Not everyone reads any/every story about the iPad. Many just buy them without reading a darn thing.

The average random person doesn't need to care. Those with defibrillators implanted do care, and they would know. One of my colleagues has one of these buckyball toys on his desk. Lots of strong magnets. I didn't know they could be dangeroues to some people, but I am sure the people who they are dangerous to would know. Just like I wouldn't have a clue which foods contain nuts because I don't care, but someone with a serious nut allergy would know.